The body of work shown here can definitely be described as a sampling from the all of the visual chapters I have accumulated.

The earliest prints are the result of an interest in creating fable type narratives about mundane observations or invented scenarios, which are carried out by ambiguous characters, usually animals. When I started making prints, I looked at a lot of Mexican printmakers, José Guadalupe Posada and Leopoldo Méndez, as well as Elizabeth Catlett, who all worked primarily in relief. Their work was very influential to me in the beginning, due to the solid narratives that resulted through their use of woodcut, linocut and relief engraving. Black, white, message, story, no questions.

My work eventually began to evolve into an investigation of a personal past, which relied partially on truth, partially on invention. Catalysts included an absence of heritage and demise of language in my family, which I translated as mystery and loss. This is not the main focus of the work anymore, but it has led me to specific ways of working and presented me with visual sources that I cannot imagine being without.

For the past three or four years, my image making has been following a methodology that relies on layers, repetitions, and reuse of imagery. This establishes an exclusive vernacular where recurring symbols act as masks, mythologies and stand-ins, and functions as a pictorial language that consistently spans throughout my work. My prints and drawings are considerably informed by, reference and may well contain appropriated images and the formal structure of, pictorial histories, maps, manuscripts and chronicles, specifically those of ancient Aztec codices, Plains Indian ledger drawings and Indian miniature painting. The work explores a principal interest in myth, symbol, story and visual mapping, and also takes cues from such works as the Popol Vuh and the Mexican zodiac; these are profound influences on the recent prints and drawings that I have been working on, which portray various journeys and trials, emanated by way of forests, rivers, walls, owls, bats and dogs.

One response to “Kim Ambriz: visual artist”

Seduced by the superior presentation here. Have seen some of these on other sites. Dogs among trees – roaming wildness. But the Rooster! That
is special. When/if I meet her I’ll hope a copy remains. Bruce – hoping to become an ally.